Stolen Moments
by Brown Eyes Parker
Summary: After Legacy, Riley & Lucas steal moments together. Rucas. Rated K. Spoilers for Legacy.
**Stolen Moments**

 **A Lucas & Riley Story**

 **By Brown Eyes Parker**

 **Rated: K+**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **.**

Lucas didn't know what he was doing. They were supposed to be at a stop. He wasn't supposed to be with Riley or Maya. And yet, here he was. Sitting next to Riley, a little closer than friends should sit next to each other on a bench in Central Park, in broad daylight.

They were so close. He could have sworn he could hear her heart beating.

He could feel the warmth from her shoulder pressing into his and her layers of tulle skirt was underneath his hand.

He could smell her hair.

It took everything in him not to lean in closer and breathe her in because she smelled like warm vanilla sugar and eucalyptus mint.

It was so essentially Riley, he wanted to capture it and hold onto it for the harder days that were ahead of him. Because deep down, in the most secret recesses of his heart it was _her_. It had always been her since she'd fallen into his lap his first full day in New York City.

But he couldn't risk hurting either of them.

Or wrecking their friendship.

"Lucas?" Riley murmured.

"Mmmh?" Lucas hummed, leaning in closer.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked breathlessly.

"Nothing," Lucas lied, wishing he could get away with leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek or maybe holding her hand.

"Oh. Could you please stop doing whatever it is you're doing?" Riley blushed. "You're distracting me."

Lucas moved away guiltily but was secretly elated when she looked disappointed that he wasn't sitting close to her anymore.

He swallowed down the words _maybe someday_ and went to get more cheesecake so he could clear her scent from his head and maybe try to remind himself that they were supposed to be _just friends_.

 **.**

He wasn't supposed to be here.

In Riley's bedroom.

At midnight, two days before summer vacation had ended. Both of them still dressed in pajamas.

But neither of them had been able to sleep, so he'd made the trek across the city and crawled into her bedroom. They were sitting next to each other in the bay window, sharing earbuds and watching _Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants_ on Netflix and trying not to breathe because as innocent as it was, they'd both be dead if her parents caught them together.

When their movie was over, Riley powered down her iPad and looked at Lucas.

"Let's go up to the rooftop and watch the sunrise," she whispered.

"I need to be home before my parents wake up," Lucas whispered back but he followed her up to the roof anyways.

They sat together on the bench and Riley rested her head on his shoulder as the world around them erupted in shades of purple and pink.

"Don't tell anybody," Riley told him as she drifted in and out of sleep.

 _Subtext: Don't tell Maya._

"I won't," Lucas promised brushing a loose strand of hair that was falling out of her braid away from her face and spelling out _I love you_ on the nape of her neck, hoping she'd get the message as he forgot on purpose to remind himself that they were just friends.

Later on, when the gang met for pizza, they both pretended like they hadn't seen each other since the week before, when they had all taken a bus trip to Coney Island together.

It wasn't easy.

But it was becoming their new normal.

 **.**

"You look really pretty today," Lucas told her under his breath on the first day of school while they were in line to get lunch, he could feel Maya's eyes boring holes into his back, and instinctively he stepped backwards again.

Riley looked at Maya cautiously and then smiled at him, the kind of smile that belonged to him and him alone. "Thank you. Are you sure the shirt isn't too much?"

"Of course not! If anybody's a princess, it's you!"

Riley threw a glance at Maya and then lowered her voice. "Do you want to do something with me after school?"

"What about Maya?"

"Uncle Josh is coming to walk her home from school this afternoon," Riley answered, clearly proud of herself.

"I see. Does Maya still like him?" Lucas asked.

"I really hope so! I don't want him to be a consolation prize but I want her to be happy and if he makes her happy then I'm not going to stand in her way anymore. Who knows? Maybe they'll create their own kind of magic."

"Does this mean. . ?" Lucas trailed off, letting the thought hang in the air between them, unfinished. They were still in the middle of their unspoken understanding.

It would probably be that way until Maya's happiness had been secured. Riley was always putting Maya's desires ahead of her own.

Lucas loved her for it.

But sometimes he wanted her to be selfish.

He wanted to give himself permission to be selfish and say how he really felt. Maya would get over it.

But he'd do it Riley's way.

He could trust her to do the right thing for everybody involved. Even if it took a little longer than he would have liked.

 **.**

One rainy Saturday afternoon, Riley attempted making pulled pork, Dr. Pepper sauce, baked beans and vanilla sheet cake (all from scratch!) for him because it was his favorite meal.

Maya had gone to Boston with Josh to hear the Boston Symphony Orchestra play a selection of _Disney/Pixar/Ghibli_ film scores. They wouldn't be back until late in the evening. It was the perfect opportunity for them to spend time together without the fear of Maya crawling through Riley's bay window and catching them together.

It wasn't like he was cheating on Maya. They weren't dating and he definitely hadn't made her any promises. But sometimes his stolen moments with Riley felt wrong. Because he wasn't evening things up with Maya later on. His attention was for Riley and Riley alone.

He'd stopped feeling guilty about it though.

He hoped Riley would too.

 **.**

"What's going on with Uncle Josh and Maya?" Lucas asked.

"What? What do you mean?" Riley replied, smiling at him.

"She's been spending a whole lot of time with him. Does this mean she's over me?"

"She hasn't said but I think she likes Josh. . . I hope she likes Josh."

Lucas tucked his arms around Riley and rested his chin on top of her head. "Did you arrange this?"

"That's one secret I'll never tell," Riley teased. "Okay. Okay. I did it. After spending the summer sneaking around like we were doing something wrong, I decided to ask him for help. I think he like Maya too. Even though he'll never say it aloud right now."

"I know he likes Maya. I saw the way he was looking at her during family game night," Lucas answered. "When she said she was in it for the long game."

Riley pulled away a little bit. "But until she says something, _this_ still to be kept on the down low."

" _This?"_ Lucas teased.

Riley blushed. " _This_ is something. Right?"

"Well. Yes, I would like it to be. . . if _you'd_ like it to be that is. . ." Lucas said flustered and flushing pink.

"I do. I really do," Riley answered earnestly.

"Good. . . I mean, I'm _glad_ ," Lucas replied, stopping himself from throwing his arms around her and hugging her and kissing her. It was getting harder to control it.

But he could wait.

It was still worth it.

 **.**

The inevitable confrontation came two weeks later.

"I know there's something going on between you two!" Maya accused as she flew into Riley's apartment, barely keeping her balance on her skinny black heels, her hair falling out from milkmaid braids. "How long?"

"Maya! You look nice!" Lucas answered cheerfully. "Where's Josh taking you tonight?"

"He has tickets to see _Hamilton_. He knows a guy," Maya replied dismissively. "But don't change the subject! How long's it been going on?"

"Where not doing anything wrong!" Riley told her. "It's not like you're dating Lucas and he's sneaking around to see me afterwards!"

"What you're doing is the very definition of sneaking around!" Maya said adamant.

"You're making it sound like we're doing something bad!" Riley protested, she swallowed. "If you were remotely dating Lucas, I wouldn't be doing this. I'm not that kind of girl. Lucas and I like spending time together, we have a lot in common. But we're waiting."

"Waiting?" Maya repeated. "Waiting for _what_?"

"For you not to like Lucas anymore," Riley answered, blushing.

"I-I can't be here right now!" Maya told them, turning around and running out of the apartment as quickly as she had come in.

Riley looked like she was about to follow her out but Lucas stopped her and shook his head. "Let her go. She'll work it all out, Maya's a strong woman. You can't worry about her. Concentrate on you Riley. Sometimes you deserve it."

"But if I don't go after her doesn't that make me a bad friend?" Riley asked, biting her bottom lip, an adorable expression of worry flitting over her features.

"There's nothing you can do about it right now. We've all talked about it to the point of exhaustion. We'll just have to wait and see what happens now."

Riley looked at him with the need for reassurance. "Do you think we'll be okay?"

Lucas nodded and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Yes. Yes we're going to be okay Riley."

 **.**

They were more careful.

The next time he saw her alone was at Easter Sunday services at church. She was coming from the bathroom and tugging at her yellow floral dress and adjusting the blue belt around her waist. He was getting a bulletin so he could follow the order of worship.

She bumped into him and looked up, a startled apology on her lips. "I am so sorry! Oh, Lucas. I didn't know you would be here. . ."

"It's Easter," Lucas answered. "Why wouldn't I be here? You look nice."

"Don't say that."

"Is Maya here too?"

"Yeah. . . and Josh. . . and my grandparents," Riley added.

"But this isn't about them. This is about us. I promised we'd be okay and we're not okay. Are we?"

The first strains of "The Old Rugged Cross" started to play and Riley shook her head, backing away from him slowly.

"I'm sorry Lucas, I can't do this right now! Church is starting. . ."

"What about later?" Lucas asked following her into the sanctuary, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"No. I'm sorry! The church is hosting an Easter egg hunt and then we're going home to have dinner and watch a rerun of _the Passion_ on Fox. I'll see you at school tomorrow! 'Bye Lucas, Happy Easter!"

He watched her run down the aisle in her white Mary Janes and felt a slight pang in his heart as he watched her go.

As he took a seat next to an elderly couple, he decided they were going to stop creating stolen moments and start making ones everybody could know about.

He wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Regardless of how Maya felt or not.

But he hoped for the sake of their friendship, she wouldn't mind.

 **.**

He went over later that afternoon. Auggie answered the door, a medium sized bright blue bunny on his shoulders.

"Lucas," he said suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

Lucas tugged on his tie. "I'm here to see Riley. We need to talk."

"RILEY!" Auggie shouted. "IT'S FOR YOU!"

Riley looked over from the couch, blanching when she saw him. It was like Maya had a sixth sense because she had stopped talking to Josh and was staring at the two like she was waiting for something to happen.

"Lucas. . . what are you doing here?" Riley finally asked.

"We need to talk. Now."

"It can wait until later."

"Talk to him Riley," Maya said quietly. "It's okay."

Lucas saw Josh put his hand on Maya's knee like he was protecting her from what was coming next. Riley stood up and looked at the adults in the kitchen and then motioned for Lucas to follow her to her to the rooftop even though it might get them both into trouble.

Lucas almost took his shoes off and hid them because they were brand-new and he didn't need Mr. Matthews pulling one off his foot. But the comical aside, he needed to talk to Riley.

 **.**

"What are you doing here?" Riley asked.

"We need to talk. I'm tired of waiting for Maya."

"Lucas!" Riley said. "We can't do this. . . Maya. . ."

"Matters! She does," Lucas answered, going closer. "But it's always been you Riley. I like Maya, I _love_ her even. But only as a friend. You're the one Riley. I hope Maya will understand and if she doesn't, I'll stick with you. I'll be your best friend."

"Lucas. . ." Riley trailed off.

"It's spring and spring is a celebration of new things. So, I think we should try something new. Standing up for us. I know you like me. I know you want to be with me. So, let's do it."

"What will we tell Maya?"

"The truth."

"But. . . but. . ."

Lucas cut her off by pushing her against the wall and kissing her on the mouth. It was chaste and as lovely as a spring breeze after a long winter.

"Anymore arguments Miz Matthews?" Lucas asked, resting one hand against the brick wall and cupping her cheek with the other one.

Riley shook her head, biting the bottom of her lip. "No sir. I mean. . . of course not Lucas."

"We'll tell Maya together," Lucas promised.

 **.**

Maya laughed. "You think I still like Ranger Rick?"

"You don't?" Lucas asked.

"No."

"You're not just saying that because you're stepping back?" Riley checked. "You really don't like him anymore?"

"I swear I don't like him anymore Riles. And even if I did, it wouldn't matter. You both _just_ said you were done pretending you didn't want to be together for my sake," Maya replied, shutting her locker.

Lucas frowned. "But what's changed?"

"I've been spending a lot with Josh. But we both know nothing can happen yet. We're just friends right now but we know what we want and we're waiting for the right time for it to happen for us."

"Well. I'm happy for you! I'm happy for you _and_ Josh!" Riley said sincerely.

"And I am happy for the both of you two," Maya answered. "Really I am. I wish you all the best in the world. And you, you _better_ take care of her heart Lucas."

Lucas put his arm around Riley's waist and his other arm around Maya's shoulder. "Maya, you don't have to worry about anything, her heart is safe with me. _I promise._ "

"Good! I have chemistry! Good luck with Mr. Matthews, Bucky!" Maya said as she removed his arm from her shoulder and sprinted to her next class.

Lucas had forgotten all about Mr. Matthews.

But he knew he would do it bravely when the time came.

He was done stealing moments.

 **The End**

 **.**

 **Author's Note:**

 **This was not done or posted in the time I wanted it to be and I apologize for that. Last Wednesday, I got a violent stomach bug and when I say violent, I mean you don't even want to know the details. I slept all day Thursday and had no brainpower to do anything on Friday. I watched a lot of Netflix. But that doesn't count for anything. Because I most certainly did not catch any good ideas.**

 **Anyways. This started out as a drabble with Lucas smelling Riley's hair during "Legacy" and it snowballed into this.**

 **I hope you will tell me what you thought.**

 **Last one-shot will be posted on Friday and then I'll start posting my (unwritten) "Spring Fling" multi-chapter on April 1st. It's going to be good! If you like Nicholas Sparks, he is my inspiration for this story.**

 **Until Next Time!**

 **Lots of Love**

 **Holly, 3/21/2016**


End file.
